Other Car Rental Programs/Partners (ie. Alamo, Enterprise, Sixt) - Enterprise Full Size

We needed a full size for a 3.5 week rental at ORF so I compared rental companies incl priceline and hotwire and ended up going with Enterprise as theirs was the best rate.

When picking up we got a Chevvy HHR (alt was Nissam Altima). Now I have rented full sizes before from other companies, and they have usually been the large car I needed. The HHR just doesn't feel all that big - the width of the rear seat is not as large as I think a full size should be (nor as big as a buick "something" my MIL has here in ORF) and the rear seat leg room is rally tight. When I inquired the next day, I was told those two were the full size Enterprise had - I said I was used to getting something like a Taurus. They informed me Enterprise classed Taurus as a premium car. I don't know about anyone else's opinion, but there is nothing premium about a Taurus - it's a very basic vehicle just big.

The HHR doesn't even have 3 LATCH positions on the rear seat, that every other full size I have drive has.

Does Enterprise have a reputation for having smaller cars in the same class as other companies' real full size cars?

The HHR does sound strange, it's more along the lines of a PT Cruiser which strikes me as more of an intermediate car. I actually would have taken the Altima, much better car to drive and decent rear legroom. Premium with Enterprise IME is usually a Dodge Charger or Nissan Maxima I guess technically the Ford Taurus could fit into that category (maybe when it was still called the 500 :D ).

To answer your last question, Enterprise always seemed to be the first to downsize class categories and implement "class creep". For instance, while all other agencies' compact was a Chevy Cobalt, it was an intermediate at Enterprise, while their compacts were essentially 4-door versions of economy cars. That and they would carrry base model fullsize cars and call them Premium.

As far as your situation, I looked up what cars they suggest for each class at ORF and the HHR is a bit of an anomoly. ORF says an intermediate is Pontiac G5, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, or similar. A Standard car is a Chev Malibu or Ford Fusion. At Canadian locations, one of the Standard examples is the PT Cruiser, so seeing as the HHR not only competes directly with it, but both were designed by the same guy, you'd have a good arguement that you were downgraded.

In this situation, the HHR shares its underpinnings with the Cobalt/G5, but it does have *shomewhat* more interior room, so it could be a borderline Standard. But it's definitely not a Fullsize. That being said, challenging ORF on those grounds may still prove futile, as they can defend by saying they have the right to call whatever car by whatever category they choose. However, I'd still complain on the grounds that you wouldn't rent a fullsize at ORF again, and you might get a coupon or $$$ off.

At the PHX Enterprise when I worked there the Full Size was anything we had on the lot. I used to try and pass off PT Cruisers, HHRs and G6s as Full Sizes and Kia Rondos as SUVs. Sadly it sounds like you got there during a busier time. I'm suprised you didn't take the Altima, that was always a popular choice and is close to full sized in my opinion.

We needed a full size for a 3.5 week rental at ORF so I compared rental companies incl priceline and hotwire and ended up going with Enterprise as theirs was the best rate.

When picking up we got a Chevvy HHR (alt was Nissam Altima). Now I have rented full sizes before from other companies, and they have usually been the large car I needed. The HHR just doesn't feel all that big - the width of the rear seat is not as large as I think a full size should be (nor as big as a buick "something" my MIL has here in ORF) and the rear seat leg room is rally tight. When I inquired the next day, I was told those two were the full size Enterprise had - I said I was used to getting something like a Taurus. They informed me Enterprise classed Taurus as a premium car. I don't know about anyone else's opinion, but there is nothing premium about a Taurus - it's a very basic vehicle just big.

The HHR doesn't even have 3 LATCH positions on the rear seat, that every other full size I have drive has.

Does Enterprise have a reputation for having smaller cars in the same class as other companies' real full size cars?

typically Enterprise is a size down, however if you have driven the new Taurus, it would be a premium car, and an Altima is a full size car with most rental agencies. I agree however that an HHR cannot be considered a full size, at best, its a mid size.

I was once went for Full Size car in Enterprise. It turned out they didnt have any "normal" Full Size Cars. The only one they have (and claimed to be full size) is a VW Bettles and we had 5 persons. They refused for a free upgrade to the SUV or premium cars since the Bettles is classed as a "Full Size" Car. Just doesnt make sense:mad:


We needed a full size for a 3.5 week rental at ORF so I compared rental companies incl priceline and hotwire and ended up going with Enterprise as theirs was the best rate.

When picking up we got a Chevvy HHR (alt was Nissam Altima). Now I have rented full sizes before from other companies, and they have usually been the large car I needed. The HHR just doesn't feel all that big - the width of the rear seat is not as large as I think a full size should be (nor as big as a buick "something" my MIL has here in ORF) and the rear seat leg room is rally tight. When I inquired the next day, I was told those two were the full size Enterprise had - I said I was used to getting something like a Taurus. They informed me Enterprise classed Taurus as a premium car. I don't know about anyone else's opinion, but there is nothing premium about a Taurus - it's a very basic vehicle just big.

The HHR doesn't even have 3 LATCH positions on the rear seat, that every other full size I have drive has.

Does Enterprise have a reputation for having smaller cars in the same class as other companies' real full size cars?

Enterprise does indeed do some VERY bizarre things to determine their car classes. When I used to work for them, and one of the more creative things I heard was that the cost/features of a vehicle can determine the car class. Hence VW Jettas being rented as full size, Suzuki Aereos as intermediate, etc.

When short on cars, it's also not uncommon for Enterprise employees to just pawn something off as a larger class, hoping the customer "won't notice."

It also appears that Enterprise allows some leeway between regions as to how they class a vehicle. I remember renting a standard size once in SFO and they gave me a Mitsubishi Lancer (which we rented at my home office as an intermediate). I demanded to see their rate sheet, and sure enough, SFO listed the Lancer as a standard.

Enterprise does indeed do some VERY bizarre things to determine their car classes. When I used to work for them, and one of the more creative things I heard was that the cost/features of a vehicle can determine the car class. Hence VW Jettas being rented as full size, Suzuki Aereos as intermediate, etc.

When short on cars, it's also not uncommon for Enterprise employees to just pawn something off as a larger class, hoping the customer "won't notice."


Interesting. I certainly believe it. Although, I've seen Enterprise class a Cobalt as a compact like almost everybody else, when Budget said they consider their 2-door yellow Cobalt SS a midsize. I asked Budget if anyone complains about being assigned a 2-door econobox as a midsize, and the agent said, yes, sometimes. Most customers supposedly were happy to take the sporty car, since they were just one person with one knapsack. But the few who didn't like it were offered something else if available.

Last year I saw one weekend when Enterprise was short on cars. I had booked a subcompact. This time there would be passengers, so an upgrade wouldn't seem environmentally wasteful as when it's just one or two people. The lady ahead of me was returning something and had just handed over the keys. The agent then turned to me and said, "Will you take a PT Cruiser?" I said, "Ok." The dangling key chain immediately crossed the counter again. The car got about 26 mpg highway when fully loaded with people. When I returned the car, it was immediately re-rented in a similar fashion to the person standing in line behind me.

The next time I rented from this branch, I had booked a subcompact for 2 people traveling. They didn't have one, and offered a free upgrade to either a compact Cobalt or 4 cylinder basic Sonata. The agent pointed to 2 PT Cruisers sitting side by side and said those are midsize cars. Avis later gave me a loaded V6 Sonata as a midsize. Go figure.